According to new research, Vitamin D may slow the progressive decline in lung function and ability to breathe that can occur in people with asthma.
Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania found that calcitriol, a form of vitamin D, reduced human airway smooth muscle proliferation in cell cultures taken from asthmatics as well as persons without the disease.
The proliferation is a process that leads to reduced lung function over time, leaving patients even more vulnerable when they suffer an asthma attack.
“Calcitriol has recently earned prominence for its anti-inflammatory effects,” says Dr. Gautam Damera who participated in the study.
He adds that as such the compound may become an important new therapy, whether used alone or in combination with other medications, for treating steroid-resistant asthma.
The next step for the researchers is to conduct a control trial of calcitriol in patients with severe asthma as part of the University of Pennsylvanias Airway Biology Initiative. They expect to present data from the trial in about a years time.
The current study was described at the American Thoracic Societys 105th International Conference in San Diego.
Those who are concerned about their intake of vitamin D may consider using nutritional health supplements to enrich their diet. 